Sign 'O' The Times

own

Epitome of funk. I love Prince. This album makes me so happy.

I listened to Purple Rain Instead bc I aint reading all that, one of the best albums I've heard in a while. So full of life and energy, and unbelievably groovy. Love his voice and vibe. On first listen perfect I think lol Fav songs: Let's Go Crazy, The Beautiful Ones, When Doves Cry, Purple Rain, The Beautiful Ones

Masterpiece. I knew it on first listen.

Wow, this was flippin awesome. I knew some of Prince's hits but never listened to a full album. I'm left wondering what I've been doing with my life.

Loved it. Awkwardly danced around the office whilst listening. Glad I work alone.

Prince is a God. The title track, Hot Thing, and It’s Gonna Be A Beautiful Night” are top shelf.

I Could Never Take The Place of Your Man is my fave.

It isn’t my favorite Prince album, but it blows the hell out of most. Sexy, and catchy. 4.5 stars

Easiest 5/5 ever Pure unadulterated GROOVE and FONK

Absolutely perfect

Prince was One of a Kind. This album is excellent!

Amazing album. What more is there to say.

This album is an absolute masterpiece.

Wow!!! This was phenomenal

5 stars. Love Prince

Save for the Batman soundtrack, it's as good as old Prince will give you.

This may not have been Prince's big commercial success, but it's still fucking Prince. It's political (Sign 'O' The Times), saucy, funky, groovy, and classic purple pop. I didn't know that he had an alter ego named Camille, but it makes perfect sense. I loved that he was always in touch with his feminine side - I believe that's part of the reason why he was such a fantastic lyricist and performer. That and the fact that he was a multi-instrument genius. This album is fire. 5 stars.

Клёвый исполнитель и альбом в целом

Had this on a dubbed cassette when it came out, listened all summer on my generic Walkman while doing farm chores in the sun. And dreamed of a different life.

LOVE!

🫶

Heck yeah

I've been waiting for this album. Great album. None of the major hits that have been overplayed. I prefer disc 2, but the entire album is solid all the way through. Prince was a massive talent.

It's Prince. That it all.

This album should deserve more recognition. Perfect blend of funk/jazz/electronic

Some classic prince. Love strange relationship, I could never take the place of ur man, and slow love

Immense. Honestly, if the app bugged out at this point and it kept giving me this album every day for the next three years, I don't think I'd mind.

i harp a lot about albums being too long, but here's an exceedingly rare example of an 80 minute album that actually earns its length

Muito bom, uma diversidade de ritmos mas mantendo sempre um alto astral.

This is perfection. W e are covering it on the next IGTOV.

Prince, that weirdo. Sign o' the Times? Double album bullshit, right? Turns out, the guy's a freak. Can't decide if he wants to funk you up, make you cry, or just get plain bizarre. But damn, it works. Like finding a fifty-dollar bill in a gutter. You listen, and you're hooked, even if you hate yourself a little for it.

Arguably Prince”s best - his white album such is the eclectic mix of styles

One of the best on this list.

A classic prince record. Coolness paired with musical genius results in a huge record.

Who can go from the drug epidemic in black communities to nasty, sexy, funky music followed up with a song about God, topped off by some good ol’ R&B jam sessions? Prince, that’s who! The irony was not lost on me while listening to the first song “Sign ‘O’ the Times” and thinking of his early death due to fentanyl addiction.

r&b, soul, rock, jazz, disco, pop - can find everything in this 5 star album of 80 minutes. Favorite track: Sign o' the times other picks: Jazzy work in "the ballad of dorothy parker", I could never take the place of your man, Cross

Pretty great, ain't it? It's better than I think it is, and I think its great Starfish and Coffee is a top 5 prince track. It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night is a banger. The singles are all great.

Just wonderful. Hadn't heard it inits entirety for years. A masterpiece.

Come on

Gear: Focal Clear (ZMFed) Artwork: 🪅🎸🥁 Mix (2020 Super Deluxe): 🎧😘🤌 Musik: 🎨🎼🤯 Wertung: ☮︎☮︎☮︎☮︎☮︎/5

Amazing production, 5 stars on that alone! May not come back to this one very often but an incredible listen.

This is hands down my favorite Prince album and believe me I've done my homework. 2nd favorite is his unreleased Black album but I'm an outlier on that one. What I love most about this one is how sprawling and stylistically diverse this is. He's constantly tinkering with methods of sonic presentation to achieve new aesthetics, reversing snares, dialing in new synth patches, ect. Songwriting-wise, you really feel like you get a broader spectrum of his mind, from the world troubles of Times to childhood classmates of Starfish to religon of the Cross, to romantic love/lust, from stormy to serene. Favorite deep cut is the walloping stomp of Strange Relationship, in all of it's lyrical complexity of exploring a place in a dynamic no one wants to be in but just can't let go of.

Absolutely emphatic album. The length of the record and of some songs but my oh my is it justified after listening . I simply have no words other than it may be arguably his best album to me . Favorite tracks were "The ballad of Dorothy Parker" " Forever in my life" "I could never take the place of your man " and the wonderful " SLow love"

His Royal Purpleness never failed to innovate. Even with drum machines and stripped down tracks he created an album that sounds full and fresh. The cultural relevance of Sign O The Times cannot be denied. One of his best albums, even though the singles weren’t his most popular.

cool

This album is just fantastic front to back. I LOVE Prince. Oozing with creativity, and an iconic drum sound. The production is spot on too, love how a silly little engineering mistake makes The Ballad of Dorothy Parker very eerie and gives it such a unique sound. Prince is a genius, but this isn't even my favorite Prince album on this list

Simultaneously epic and sexy. Very much into this album.

great album great voice and great sound

This is a sprawling work of genius. Sometimes infuriatingly throw away often sublime. It's not a first listen album I think - it rewarded me listening a few times as a kid. Something about it being so disjointed and jumping around the styles. It's a classic though, a one off from a one off. None of the easy constitency of Purple Rain but a rolling sound of bursting creativity. I had a ticket to see Prince on this tour. He cancelled. I never did see Prince.

I mean it is quirky and inconsistent. And it is a double album. But man this brings back memories. And Prince. Is one of the best gigs I ever went to

Brilliant album - a few "eh," but overall, I'd listen again and again

Delighted when this one appeared for me today - it's great to have an excuse to listen to it again. A new Prince album was always eagerly anticipated in the 1980's and this one is the best of the lot. Solid Gold ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This album helped me finally figure out my issue with Prince and I think it's with his fans (who seem to be everyone). It's that Prince is an inherently silly artist, partially due to making music in the 80s and that being fairly normal, but also he was a weird guy. When I listen to this music and approach it the same way I approach something like Talking Heads, I love it, it's only when I try and approach it in the "heady all time artist such a mysterious and clever guy" place that it doesn't hit how it should. I suppose this is on me but people seem to miss that this music is silly and fun most of the time and that's its strength as opposed to being something that's serious and moving all the time, even though it can be at certain moments. Idk I've also thought stories about him being super cool and mysterious made him sound annoying so maybe it's just not the kind of artist archetype that I enjoy, but anyway, had a great time listening because I approached it differently!

Had listened to most of this before and enjoyed what I’d heard but had never made it through the whole thing because of its length I would say from the prince albums I’ve heard this is probably the most diverse he’s been in terms of range of types of song My favourite song is IT but there are about 4-5 that are all timers. He is also incredibly ahead of his time. Definitely need to listen to it more but it’s the length that makes it a bit less accessible than other prince albums but this album deserves no less than 5/5

What a talent Prince was. A fantastic album!

Fantastic fucking album! You need to give this one a few rotations to really appreciate it because there's a lot more nuance and intricacy below the surface. It's not just another cool fun party time with Prince, and yet, it also is very that. But still. You can't go into this one just expecting the same old same old from him. It's funky and cool as always. It's sexually charged and edgy too, but in a more thoughtful way than some of his earlier work which went into explicit sexual content purely to provoke and titillate. There's some socially conscious commentary happening here too, but I don't know that it reveals anything newly insightful about the state of the world at this time, it feels more retrospective in its stance. There's also a few glimmers of raw self-effacing vulnerability that reveal some of the inner turmoil and personal struggles Prince needed to process through his art. There's just so much to consider and mull over. The music is incredible, but it also makes me think. To reiterate, this is a fantastic album. Musically, lyrically, tonally, everything comes together in such a spectacular way. And I expect no less from Prince, the musical genius and virtuoso who changed the landscape of music for everyone with his blessed combo of untouchable cool and unflinching boldness. He's the total heck-a-slammin' package and this record is another pure fire achievement from his prolific catalogue.

As double albums go, very dense and sprawled out with various ideas and experimentation, however, this album feels very tight and not nearly as long as it truly is with not a song feeling like filler or out of place.

It’s okay. Really liked the first song.

There is hardly any artist that comes close to Prince in the 80s. After releasing Purple Rain, Prince was at peak creativity and artistry, and he churned out several albums with many different concepts and ideas. 4 of those albums were ultimately compressed into this one double album, picking the best out of all 4 concepts and it really shows. Soulful love ballads, to catchy pop tune, to groovy funk beats, to intoxicating psychedelic rock instrumentation and repeat. This is artistry

holy fuck

I have heard this album before and am a huge Prince fan. It is funky and a great listen.

This album is a generous Whitman's sampler of great music. Prince Demonstrates a wide range of musical ideas for the most part upbeat and fun. There are better Prince albums out there but this one is a great compendium of what he found he could deliver. I bought the album when it came out and was puzzled by the sound and apparent aimlessness m, but upon re-listen it is bright and packed with fun. I wish the drums felt more “live” but that’s a minor problem.

Loved this album then and I love it now. Very happy to give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Just as I felt this project slipping from my hold, and after a drought of actual new discoveries, this album arrives like a spring rain to water the grounds of my ears and heart. And the earbud has blossomed! This is actually why I wanted to begin doing this whole thing. As much as I love giving middling reviews to classics or hearing a million insipid Britpop records, I actually much prefer hearing something that I have never heard before and immediately love. I love love love when that happens. Every track is great, and share the balance between never giving too much away and having as much fun as anyone has ever had. The opener is so coolly restrained, but can you just imagine being in the crowd for the live track towards the end of the album? Surely the greatest party ever. A wonderful experience and absolutely one of my favourites that I have learnt through this whole thing. Top marks. Fave track: The Ballad of Dorothy Parker

For my first Prince album, it's insane to me that he was able to put out that much music in his lifetime and have it consistently be amazing.

I have listened to Sign O The Times in the past, but not for a while, and by god I was surprised at how quickly the time went by when listening to it. I think this is Prince’s masterpiece when it comes to his songwriting. Reducing the amount of overtly sexual stuff and instead focusing on character driven narratives that are occasionally used as allegory, but are often just heartbreaking bits of social and emotional observation, he manages to create an album that is both timely in regard to it’s social criticism and timeless when it comes to the emotional core of the stories. But because of the complex emotions of some of the songs, and the length of the album, I do think this is probably the hardest of Prince’s classic albums to get into. It’s an overall darker experience than anything outside of maybe Dirty Mind, but Dirty Mind’s darkness is almost entirely played for laughs, and Sign O The Times is dead serious And then he writes funky goof off stuff like Housequake, which is just a jam. I really love people sometimes

I love prince, he really was a very talented song writer and musician. He always knew how to write fun and danceable songs. This album does have a couple of stinkers so it is probably my least favorite of the 3 on this list, but it's a double album and there are so many great songs that it doesn't really matter. Some stand out tracks for me are: the title track, it, slow love, its going to be a beautiful night, you got the look, and the cross.

Great!

One of my favorite Prince albums and Sign 'O' The Times is arguably his best song.

So great, every song on this album is enjoyable. I'm so glad, I got to listen to this album. It is fantastic!!!

Prince est le genre d'artiste a la carrière et à la personnalité tellement énormes que je n'ai jamais su par quel bout entamer sa discographie, l'entreprise me paraissant titanesque. Plutôt convaincue que ça ne serait pas ma tasse de thé, je me contentais tranquillement de quelques tubes. Après écoute de cet album je peux désormais affirmer : quelle claque !!! Prince vous capte dès les premières notes et ne vous lâche plus jusqu'aux dernières, à travers une exploration foisonnante de genres musicaux, soutenue par une voix modulable à l'envie (cette voix féminime sur If I was your girlfriend !) et une indéniable modernité. Impossible de ne pas constater que ce type a clairement influencé des générations d'artistes après lui. Impossible également de ne pas être entrainé par I could never take the place of your man !

How 80's can you get. Never listened to this album in its entirety before and enjoyed it way more then I expected it to.

Personally prefer purple rain, but this is still a masterpiece and one of the best ever double albums, just a sprawling musical journey, Prince was a genius.

Always 5 stars for Mr. Nelson

Disc 2 is better than disc 1

Some absolute bangers on here. Despite having that late 80’s sound, a lot of the tracks still sound so fresh. The ballad of Dorthy Parker is a highlight for me, although there’s just so much good material on this record.

<3

It's been a while since I listened to this absolute classic. One of my favorite genres is "Genius just fucks around with a Fairlight until they're done with an album" I recently watched a video about the Orchestra Hit sound on a Fairlight and how it took over the '80s - it's been fun to clock it all over this album, it's big in its classic form in "Housequake" and "It". We'll try to imagine what silence looks like.

nothing to say but good

THIS IS A MASTERPIECE! Not only for the 80s!!! Prince showing off he could do it ALL: Funk, Soul, Rock, New Wave… you name it! It‘s all there!!!

Sounds timeless to me. Prince's amazing voice carries everything he did, and I didn't even know he played so many instruments himself. Love it.

pure genius. pure fun. I feel like enjoying life when I listen to this album.

Perfect, a masterpiece as fuck.

The album has its ups and downs, with Prince playfully changing things up with every song. It never gets boring.

Totally Prince and totally love it!

Man I love Prince. A phenomenal multi-instrumentalist with a funky style. Some of his work is not for me but I thoroughly enjoyed this album. Never heard any of these songs before either. Great experience altogether!

Classic

So tight. Housequake. Slept on. The croost

A classic

I need to listen to more Prince!!

Prince in his prime.

It has a good production and sounds selection. Drums are very protagonist with funk guitars and brass. Every song has a different story to tell and it has a main story on which the album is based. The use of samples of people talking simulating a space is very interesting.

Wonder when Purple Rain is going to show up? Anyways it’s a solid 5 from me, not sure if it really affects anything but I listened to the 2020 remaster and found myself enjoying the ride through the entire album with it more than the original 1987 release which I listened to a while back. Eric Leeds on the Ballad of Dorothy Parker and It’s Gonna Be a Beautiful Night really impressed me, I’ve been following his work with prince for a bit but I never really had time to sit down and enjoy his efforts. Also, Prince’s voice CONSISTENTLY delivers, Starfish and Coffee in particular really struck me alongside the other female singer (I don’t know her name), it really hit all the good nails for me as a song, but maybe that’s just because of all of the Pop I’ve been listening to lately.

The culmination of Prince's 80's work, as far as I'm concerned. And if not that, then an impressive and sprawling sample platter of a lot of what he'd been doing that decade, with some small glimpses into the future. Just one good-ass track after another. Some cuts are a little lesser than the others, true—mostly on side two, honestly—but that's more often than not inevitable on double albums, and there's nothing I don't enjoy here regardless. The whole second disc especially is just gold. I mean, you got bangers like "U Got The Look"? Fun-ass oddities like "Strange Relationship" and "If I Was Your Girlfriend"? The epic live jam that is "It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night"? And such absolutely and amazingly perfect tunes like "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man" and "Adore"? Absolutelt superb. Worth the price of admission. And let's shout out the first side as well: the stark and chilling minimalism of the title track, the absolute joy of "Play In The Sunshine", the absolutely danceable "Housequake", the quiet beauty of "Starfish And Coffee", those... Like, orchestral hits or whatever on "It" that've always sounded to me like that one instrument in TURTLES IN TIME that I've always thought of as a "turtle synth." And the part on "The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker" where he asks to get a fruit cocktail 'cuz he's not really that hungry... Inititally I wanted this review to have some kind of through line like my past couple have had. Y'know, an essay-like framework I can look at the album through. But, man, y'know, forget all that. This is just a good-ass album; one of many that've firmly wormed their way into my heart and/or soul and have gawddamn EARNED that 5 rating. And I don't need no fancy "creative writing" whatever to know or say that. 'Cuz lemme tell you, when this thing's on, that by itself is enough of a sign that there's a great time bein' had.

I mean… man. Slow start, big finish, but what an album. I’ve always been an MJ guy and not a Prince guy, which is to say I’ve always treated Michael’s albums with incredible reverence, and only given the same reverence to Prince’s big singles – Little Red Corvette, 1999, Kiss, When Doves Cry, Purple Rain, and so on. This album has made me realize I am a moron for not approaching Prince’s albums in the same way. There’s just an energy to this whole thing that’s a bit understated – I thought tracks 2 & 3 were a little disjointed, and I wasn’t vibing with them, but it fucking kicked into high gear for me with Track 6 and then never looked back. Lyrically, sometimes I wish Prince were a little less horny, but I get the feeling that would be the most futile cause in all of music. Instrumentally, I just hear the quintessential sound of the 1980s all wrapped up into one album; your acoustics, your electronics, your pre-programmed drums, your live drums, your horn sections, your deep voices, and your falsettos. In every sense of the word, it’s a 5 – realistically, for my tastes, it’s probably like a 4.75 (few tracks go a little long, slight repetition, be less horny), but I’d be a criminal to not round it up. Just a really, really good listen. High recommendation.

Good funky hour or so, can see why he's such a legend but not one that's FULLY hooked me yet. Can see it growing.

Superlative here Funky rhythms, killer voice Superlative there

•Owned •An album that remains a testament to Prince’s masterful songwriting: the sweetness of “If I Was Your Girlfriend” that gets dashed by the inherent toxicity of obsession; the fear of the opening/title track that is answered—with deep conviction—with “The Cross.” In between are burning tracks—“I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man”, “It”—as well as the funk gospel of “Housequake.” •5/5

This is the one. This is the home-world. This is the danger zone and the Promised Land. This isn’t the origin story, the commercial break through, or the blockbuster. But this is probably the masterwork. This is the one where Prince is the most Prince he would ever be—he tears down the walls and builds them up again. He’s defiant and prophetic throughout (but especially on the title track); he’s soulful and seductive on “U Got the Look”; he’s aggressively smooth on “The Ballad of Dorothy Parker” and aggressively pleading on “If I Was Your Girlfriend.” On “The Cross”, Prince manages to channel a religious fury through an apocalyptic guitar buildup worthy of The Velvet Underground. And that album cover is one for the ages: a peek into Prince’s private studio world, blurred superstar in the foreground, offering Easter eggs galore. Is it fantasy? Is it reality? Does it matter? Only one thing is clear: this album still does.

Listened this a lot already.

Prince is the master

99% Brilliant. 4.5

Propfyldt med bangers og det må have lydt som om Prince sendte den her tilbage til 1987 fra 10 år inde i fremtiden??

Bien, Prince siempre es bien

an unmatched classic - basically no song that is skippable. Love it!

Miekä poika kuunnellu nyt kronologisessa näitä prinsejä läpi.... eka albumi 1982..oli hankala saada suollosta kiinni.. sitten ymmärrettiin mitä kaveri tekee ja tajuttiin OBJEKTIA 4 star... Toka albumi 1984... oli liikaa kansanvillittelyä... Kolmas albumi tämä nyt 1h20 min taideteoksen maalaamista.. horny ass mf Prince... people wont aknowledge that and just use fancy terms to describe the mf... just say horny ass........... Sign O The Times.... Jokainen sointu ylistää kaveria..

Easy five stars

very good and classic, big fan

It’s really fun, it’s just fucken long lmao

it's mnfn PRINCE y'all.

4.5 Starfish & coffee rounds to 5 rather than 4

Prince is one of my favorite artists of all time, so going back to this album is always an exciting prospect. For me, this is the closest that we see Prince at his full powers as an artist. Every single song is memorable, the production is sublime and goes in directions that still throw me for a loop every time I listen to it, and his performance on all the tracks is nothing short of incredible. Even more impressive is that the records that bookend this are 1986's Parade, a soundtrack album that was based on his film Under the Cherry Moon, and 1988's Lovesexy, an album that I have just as equal love for. Would I say it's the best Prince album to get a first-time listener into? No, I believe Purple Rain does an outstanding job at that, and is probably the first album that most people trying to listen to Prince should go for first, but once you understand his processes behind making music, the themes that he tends to touch on, and of course the musicianship behind each of his records, Sign 'O' The Times shines brighter than every single album in his catalogue after gaining that understanding.

This is where Prince starts to feel very comfortable before transitioning again into new territory. On one hand, for an artist who never stopped challenging himself to create something new, it's a little complacent. One the other, I think this double album is nearly perfect. There aren't really any singles that hold the same status as some of his mega hits, but man, this record works SO WELL as a whole experience. I would even argue this album is the most direct influence on one of my favorite artists today (of Montreal). It's weird, sexy, funky, and filled to the brim with Mr. Linn and his wonderful drum machine.

The Purple One proves, without a shadow of a doubt, that he is by far the most prodigious pop powerhouse this world’s ever seen.

It's funny how albums on here seem to appear if i've been listening to them recently, as I've thrown this one on a few times in the past couple weeks. Might be climbing over 'Purple Rain' as my favourite Prince album, there's such a good mix of styles on here. For a double album it's rare to see such consistency across the whole thing, I wouldn't say there's a bad song on here at all. Some highlights for me are the title track, 'U Got the Look', 'Strange Relationship' and 'I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man'. Prince really knows how to write a damn good pop song the pulls from rock, funk and soul in perfect balance.

Personally, I love this album a bit more than Purple Rain because of tis darker tone and funkier instrumentation Also love how Prince managed to create a whole new alter ego by just pitching his voice up Favourite tracks: Sign O’ The Times, Housequake, The Ballad of Dorothy Parker, Starfish and Coffee, U Got the Look, I Could Never…, The Cross, Adore

What a classic. Huge number of hits on this album. One of the best albums by one of the greatest ever musicians = 5 stars in my book.

Well, what are you going to say? It's Prince. This guy was so ahead of his time and it's a shame he just went when he did. Listen to these tracks- they make a point. Funky and socially aware. Glad to see he has a few albums in the list- I wouldn't say any album hit me but he needs to be here. Icon.

His magnum opus encompassing all moods and sonics. I esp love the Cross

Elaborate upbeat funk with a pop sensibility that's the template for tons of the RnB and neo-soul that would follow. Lots of these sounds have become genre conventions (the reverby guitar hits, rising and falling horns, sexual healing-style moaning vocals, bass grooves carrying the song through the changes...) that it's hard not to hear them as conventional 35 years later. But the very 80s sounding bits (amazing synths and drum machines) are certainly signs o the times (not to say they don't sound awesome, just quintessentially 80s) and Prince's vocal style in terms of both delivery and melodic phrasing marks it as uniquely his own - hardly contained to a genre and certainly not generic. Except on the almost power-pop 'I Could Never' he's not in guitar god mode, here he's in sensual song-writer and immaculate vibe curator mode. I've never really listened to this in full before but it sounds really familiar nonetheless - I think because so much 90s stuff was influenced by this. Maybe also because it's a like a hybrid of Madonna, Parliament Funkadelic and Marvin Gaye filtered through the medium that is Prince. Favorites: Hot Thing, Housequake, The Cross, I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man, got that look

Þetta er 100% 80's, 100% Prince. Töff, sexy, hrár og skítsama. Er alltaf 50/50 á því hvort melódískari popplatan Purple Rain með hittarana sína sé besta plata Prince, eða þessi sturlaða veisla á skynfærin. Hvað er hann ekki að experimentera með á þessari plötu (og mastera)? R&B, funk, pop, rokk, jazz, soul og early electro. Þetta er bara allt þarna. Það er eitthvað svo ekta við Prince. Í dag segi ég að Sign '☮︎' the times sé hans meistaraverk.

Probably his best album

It's Prince. I haven't heard it in a long time. It'll make the rotation more.

Once you get beyond the many many radio hits that Prince has it turns out he has many many awesome albums. This possibly the best.

What more can be said. The production is dated but the sound is so distinctive and the themes so diverse.

Good

An astoundingly great album.

very good listen. Never heard these prince songs before mostly.

Title track: It's sad that things he's singing about in 1987 are worse or just the same. Lots of fun, catchy tracks on this album. It's exactly what I expected from Prince. I really enjoyed listening to this! Found myself bobbing along and toes dancing throughout!

Love me some Prince. Also, this was #500 for me

Prince is someone I had never actually previously listened to. That might change after my listen of this rather long album, Sign O' The Times. Every single song on this track list is different from the last. Every piece is creative and feels like Prince was really trying to play around with the sounds to get it just right. It is nice to see an artist just do what they want with their album and from what I read it would appear that this was created primarily by Prince himself. It's a shame that most of these songs were not on any radio stations I listen to and most of these might go unrecognized by general audiences. I look forward to hearing other albums from him and his so called "revolution."

Surprisingly good

Sublime

Love everything about this album. You never quite know where it’s going to go next. Perfectly produced as always from Prince. Extremely easy 5 stars.

Cool

I get it now. Every song a story, every song a bop. Amazing album.

Seminal album - fabulous.

Best Prince album. All songs are fantastic, sound funky as hell with awsome guitar playing.

Superb album

No skips! Prince is one of my favorite artists of all time. Stress on "artists" (not just singer/vocalist or songwriter or producer or musician - Prince does all the things!) and "all time," as in I've listened to and loved his music for different reasons at every age and stage of my life. He's timeless, classic, and genre-bending. Name something he can't do and doesn't do extremely well. I often hear comparisons of Prince and Michael Jackson. I hate it because they’re apple and orange. Michael Jackson’s music, while also classic, doesn’t have the variety or depth of Prince’s. I can dance to MJ’s music, cook a meal, clean my house. Great for kicking off a party of diverse party-goers. Prince’s music is more suited for a long drive in summertime, with or without friends. It’s more mature and contemplative. It’s sexy. It sparks conversation. The Sign o the Times album is so good because it covers all those moods and adjectives. So do just about all of his albums. I recently watched the Sign o the Times concert film as well. A true performer. I was more sad over Prince’s death in 2016 than I have ever been for any celebrity ever in my life. It shocked me how overtly sad I was. I’m still in mourning now. I wasn’t done enjoying his presence in the world. At least we have his music.

my first experience with a prince album in its entirety, and to be honest, i am really digging this one. fun and funky and you can tell that he was functioning on a different plane with this one. just very creative and interesting and I feel like this album holds up incredibly well, despite it being 35 years old at this point. favorite track(s): housequake the ballad of dorothy parker starfish and coffee if i was your girlfriend i could never take the place of your man adore

What’s actually incredible is that I’m 34 and have NEVER listened to Prince. So I guess all the social comparisons and references finally make some sense.

This album is phenomenal and a classic. Prince's best album and his magnum opus. It would be criminal to give it anything other than a 5/5.

Production, funk, disco, Prince, dear Lord, that was a superb album. Slow Love, U Got the Look and Hot Thing are gems here. 4,5/5.

Really great album

Still so rad, listened to this a lot growing up but appreciated it more now. What a talent

Absolutely one of the best Prince albums.

Uh yes yes yes.

Nothing

Without a doubt Sign o’ the Times is one of the best albums by Prince. He shows his talents as a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and performer (Camille). It’s the Prince sound, no matter what. ‘Hot Thing’ and later ‘The Cross’ are my favourite tracks with the later being a bit different than the rest of the tracks. Prince made so many other great records and was home in many genres. This albums reminds us that he want too early.

Good,such a breath of fresh air after medico ore albums for 3 days in a row.Just from the seat I could tell this was different.Every sing feels like prince trying something new and weird in a good way.Album is long though.Probably deserves a re listen.I enjoyed all the songs but none of them were really great but the overall quality gets it a five.

Loved it !!! 5 stars

A masterpiece of an album by the unique and genius Prince. I adored it.

Prince was a genius. An erratic one, sometimes. But a genius. This album is up and down, showing some depth and breadth and never quite scaling all the heights. I like it, though I'll always like Diamonds and Pearls more than any other.

É sempre uma ardua tarefa revisar, observar ou descrever aquilo que está em constante metamorfose. E o que seria Prince, se não o proprio continuo movimento de superação, evolução, o Allen Iverson da Música, the deffinition of cat. Homem ou mulher alguma desbravará a terra com tamanha graça e poder quanto este mesmo, tamanho talento e criatividade que o torna realisticamente 1 de 1. O único verdadeiro poser, no sentido de que sua pose realmente era justificavel, pois seu dom musical transcende a comum realidade. Contextualizando a primeira musica do album começa com a seguinte estrofre : "At home there are seventeen-year-old boys and their idea of fun Is being in a gang called 'The Disciples' High on crack and totin' a machine gun ... Hurricane Annie ripped the ceiling of a church and killed everyone inside You turn on the telly and every other story is tellin' you somebody died A sister killed her baby 'cause she couldn't afford to feed it And yet we're sending people to the moon" Sign o the Times = 5 Top 20 song's ever. IT- 4 Hot Thing- , 4 Slickest Song of all time U got the look - 5 Real Madona and groove Adore - 4

It's a classic and rightly so.

:0

Genius, no question.

Nothing to add, peak Prince. If Around The World In A Day... was Sgt Pepper, this is The White Album and Abbey Road rolled into one humungous statement. See the concert film for the best live act in the world at the time as well.

Perfect

My favorite album. His second best. He's the best musician

Good album

Obviously.

cool o

Rating: 9/10 Best songs: Sign o the times, Play in the sunshine, Housequake, Starfish and coffee, Hot thing, U got the look, If i was your girlfriend, It’s gonna be a beautiful night

This album flows from start to finish, despite the competing styles. There's great interplay with the other musicians - whenever they are allowed to get a look in. Sheena Easton is a left field, but welcome addition. I could listen to Sign "☮︎" the Times on loop all day long. It was so important to me personally when first released in 1987, and remains so today. Prince's head at the time was somewhere not really on this planet. No bullshit but the concert film is probably the best live movie ever released.

Immaculate, grand and refined. Prince was a modern day Mozart.

Great album, second favorite Prince album

Jesus, Sign O'The Times has the bleakest lyrics of any Prince song I have ever heard. The whiplash is even further enhanced because of Play In The Sunshine. Prince's lyrics are this amazing blend of specificity and impeccible groove. The effect is this really enrapturing musical experience. That slap bass on The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker. Starfish And Coffee is a great song. U Got The Look is killer. I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man has the magic. The Cross is a nice respite, but a little tooooooo religious feeling for me.

I’m a fan cause the album was Fan fucking tastic

Genius oozes from every bar, the virtuoso Prince showing he can make music from damn near any genre out of any damn subject. Social commentary, pop whimsy, deep funk, jazz and soul, all here. Prince out Springsteen’s Springsteen, out Beatles the Beatles, almost out Wonders Steve Wonder. Stand out track - If I Was Your Girlfriend. No other artist at the time had the balls to sing as a woman. Quite a number. Prince singing as he damn well please. Damn.

Hard to decide what is Prince's best music in the 80s. But this is a tour de force and should be on any list. Audacious scope, exemplary ability, from an artist in only his late 20s. Not as much genre hopping as seamlessly moving from one to another. Very few artists have been able to do this at this level (Stevie, Paul McCartney perhaps).

Amazing album. He truly was one of a kind.

The Purple One flexes his genius. Funky, slinky and sexy. Best Tracks: Sign O' the Times; Starfish and Coffee; I Could Never Take The Place of Your Man

This would be his masterpiece, but he also made Purple Rain. But holy shit is this great, especially for a double album. An apt comparison would be to call Purple Rain Prince's Sgt. Pepper and this his White Album. I'll always ride hard for Purple Rain to the point that I often argue it's perhaps the most perfect album ever. But I have no qualms with anyone saying this is the Purple One's finest hour.

I didn't realize how familiar this album was going to be. It came out when I was in college in Minnesota (where Prince was king), and apparently was the soundtrack to many a gathering there in the late 80s. Listening, I definitely had some vivid and nostalgic flashbacks, despite never owning this album other than having some of the tracks on mixtapes (and "U Got the Look" being a favorite party tune). I really enjoyed this, more so even than 1999.

It surprises me that I have never listened to this album before...at least it did not seem familiar. It is a masterpiece! Loved it, even more the second time through, and bummed I didn't make time for a third today, but I will soon.

Incredible. Didn't want it to end. Until the last song. I was kind of glad when that one ended. But overall, super-top-notch!

One of my favorite Prince albums with some of my favorite Prince songs (Sign O’ The Times, Play in the Sunshine, Housequake, U Got The Look, I Could Never Take The Place of Your Man, The Cross, It’s Gonna Be A Beautiful Night, Adore - to name a few), Sign O’ The Times is an astonishing accomplishment the shows off all the things I love about Prince.

Sí

I know this album well.

Prince was amazing especially as a guitarist.

L'obra més variada i completa de Prince. Comença amb un dels millors temes de la década i es va deixant desenvolupar en tota una orgia de cançons, festa, erotisme, ball... no tot està a nivell d'obra mestra, però és un dels pocs discs dobles que no es pot imaginar com a senzill... res hi sobra

Lots and lots of perfect purple pop pixie business.

Gotta love Prince. 🔥

Yksi parhaista.

Should listen to this more often.

Remains the most expensive gig I ever bought tickets for, worth every single dollar. Just Prince and a piano, people were crying, it was superb. He died a month later.

this album is fun as hell

This album is proof that Prince was actually a genius. Mixing rock, pop, r&b, disco and funk in such a organic way, all of the songs of this record are classics, there's not a single bad song in the whole album, none feels forced or out of place. This album was released during the time were Michael Jackson was in his peak of popularity, and you can definitely hear his influence on this album in songs like "Play in the Sunshine". I don't know why, but I can also sense a certain James Brown influence too, specially in the more "funky" songs. In short, this album is just great.

Stunningly good stuff (and not at all surprising, this better not be the only Prince album, especially as we get 12 Dylan albums)

"Sign O' The Times" is ninth studio album by Prince, a double album at that and the first following his disbanding of The Revolution. And what an album it is at that. It contains songs from the disbanded albums "Dream Factory" and "Camille" which he intended to make into a triple album "Crystal Ball." The record company nixed that idea and now we have "Sign O' The Times." The styles range from funk, soul, pyschedelic pop, rock and ballads...he covers a lot ground. Prince played most of the instruments including the Linn LM-1 drum machine, state-of-the-art-at-the-time Fairlight CM1 keyboard and introduces us to his androgynous alter-ego voice in Camille. Lyrically, he is all of the place too...social commentary, stories, love, sex. It is considered the most expansive R&B albums of the 80's, one of the best overall albums of the 80's and to many his best. The album journey begins with his first single "Sign O' The Times." A serious, dark one at that...social commentary on drugs, poverty, hurricanes, the Challenger disaster, AIDS and gang violence. Idiosyncratic drum machine, his stud keyboards, sampled bass and eventually funky guitar. The second song "Play in the Sunshine" lightens things up and sounds like it belongs on "1999." Dance beat, keyboards, great guitar solo. Let's forget the world of the first song and party. The third song "Housequake" introduces us to Camille. Great dance beat. Funky. Another let's party song. A great song on side two is "Starfish and Coffee." Here's his soulful and funky album song. About a girl who ate starfish and coffee. Is she autistic (serious)? Or just carefree ( less serious)? The third side contains the big hits. "U Got the Look" starts big and grand. Dance beat. Funky again. Oh, and Sheena Easton and Camille again on vocals. I forget the weird guitar part in this song. Camille appears again on the second single " If I Was Your Girlfriend." Organ intro. Mechanical drum beat and great groove. And then side three ends with one of my favorite Prince songs "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man." Maybe a perfect rock-pop song. Great, great melody and vocals. A classic Prince guitar solo. I like the album song version which give us that extended Stone-esque "Can't You Hear Me Knockin" part. And if you thought that was enough, here comes side four with three completely different songs rubbing his talent in our face. The slow rock-epic of "The Cross." He goes totally Parliament-Funkadelic in the nine minute "It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night." And the albums ends with "Adore " Prince at his most soulful. A ballad of sorts. Slow. Horns. Prince goes falsetto ( not Camille though). A fantastic ending. Even if you do not like Prince (I don't know how you cannot at some level), this should be a required listen. An amazing achievement from an amazing talent.

Guess I'm a Prince fan. Listened to it twice and watched the concert film. The drum machine tracks are almost abrasively filtered, but they work really well in these songs and create an addictive pocket with the wide variety of synths and instruments utilized. Whether it's the evocative bass of the title track or the hair rock guitar in U Got the Look. Then the second half has a live band feel that's reminiscent of Talking Heads' Stop Making Sense with infectious horn lines and workout video energy. And Prince's voice of course, which soulfully inflects standard funk mantras like Hot Thing and funny surreal stories like Starfish and Coffee. The Cross is also a great song.

An incredible album start to finish. Prince mixes loads of genres from pop, funk, jazz, soul, r&b. The performances, the song writing, the instruments. Prince has it all. This album is just further proof to why he is one of the best artists of all time. And arguably one of the biggest influences in Pop history.

That was the quickest 80 minutes of my life. Usually a double album tends to drag. But this just barrels through a barrage of different genres until it's finished. Which is disappointing because I don't want it to end. Then I remember that I can start all over again. This is the best double album I've heard. Sorry White Album. Sorry Physical Graffiti. Sorry Frampton. (Only kidding there. That album begins to pall by song 3) The teeny-tiny genius truly came from another planet. How can you get so much variety from a solo songwriter. Oh. Yes. He invents a new persona. Camille is breathtaking. So is this album. Sometimes Spotify gets out right. After the last strains of "Adore" faded, I was greeted by Strawberry Letter 23, the Brothers Johnson version. This is one of my favourite songs and definitely fits the vibe.

Only half the album was available on Spotify, but I'm sure the missing ones are as great as the others on the album.

A candidate for the best album of the 80's. Instead of writing out superfluous praise, I want to list some of my favorite moments from the album. - The moment Prince sings "It's silly no? When a rocket ship explodes.." on the title track gives me goosebumps - Prince describing being seduced by Dorothy Parker - The opening of "Starfish and Coffee" - The tasteful brass flourishes on "Slow Love" - The canned synths on "Hot Thing" is pure sex - The duet with Sheena Easton on "U Got the Look" is hilarious, especially the "Let's get to rammin'" line - When the kick drum comes in on "The Cross"

quite good

The answer to the question ‘Can Prince really do it all?’ is answered with a resounding yes. This album shows Prince at his best across several genres including, soul, funk, pop, hip hop, and even moments that sound like alternative rock. Despite this albums 80 minute running time, it never feels taxing on the listener and is a testament to Prince’s ability to capture and audience.

For when you want get it on music that you can dance, groove and jam after

Absolutely genius. One of the best albums ever, by one of the best artists ever.

16th June 2022 Listened throughout the day while working in the office. Went to see Billie Eilish with Jen in the evening at the O2 which was great! Not a lot to say about Prince other than he’s just the master.

Listened to the 2020 Remaster of this Album. Great Prince sound!

Incredible

"1999" and "Purple Rain" notwithstanding, this is the greatest Prince album. Not only that but this is definitely in my top 5 albums by anyone of all time, I'd give it 10 stars if I could.

Prince really could not do wrong. Everything he did worked. What a master.

God damn Prince is so good

I already love Prince even though I'm only partially familiar with his large catalog of work. Most times when I hear another Prince track, even if I don't necessarily love that particular song in that particular moment, I'm consistently blown away by his ridiculous array of multi-faceted talents. If all he did was to have a music career based solely on his guitar work, it would've still been memorable. Add the rest of everything he could do, and then I realize how super-rare he was. This is a great album. Cuts across and weaves in quite a few styles and genres. It's so well written, superbly mixed and produced, incredibly performed, and, wow, just a whole lot of fun and interest throughout. I had not sat through a whole listen of the album before. Glad I did. And I'll do it again.

Goddamn Prince was good. This is a superb album, obviously.

Prince’s masterpiece

His name might be prince but it should be king

What an album! Housequake alone would justify five stars. Shut up, already, damn.

Enjoyed this way more than I expected. I'd only listened to popular bits of his before but will definitely listen more in future.

I bought this album through one of those Columbia House offers, where you get however many tapes for a penny. I bought it mainly because I loved Purple Rain. I had no idea what this was going to be. And very lucky for me, I really loved this one. I think the only song on the radio was 'You Got the Look'. (At least, on rural NC radio). But Jesus, these songs - Housequake, Play in the Sunshine, I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man. If Was Your Girlfriend??? Do you know what that song means to a 13-year-old kid in the rural South in 1987? Well I'm just saying it's a perspective on sex that you do not get anywhere else. And then to have a track like The Cross at the end... definitely the best Christian-themed song ever written? Aside from maybe O Holy Night, but that's a whole different conversation. Anyway. Another sentimental favorite here.

Brilliant combination of different genres like pop soul and rock as well as many jazz elements. Two highlights for me is the exquisite drumming and princes always fabulous scat singing as well as his charming falsetto and youthful vigor and energy. My favourite tracks were hot thing,adore,slow love,sign of the times and housequake. But honestly the whole album was incredible and Prince always keeps me listening and entertained. My fav so far, I’d give it a 9.3 out of 10 as I didn’t love every track but still pretty good lol 👍

a genius gives us a sprawling pop/funk masterpiece, rammed with hits, and hooks, and funky jams

The only artist to get the funk out of a drum machine!

He was a genius and my favourite artist ! It’s got to be my first 5*

Sign 'O' the Times, U got the look, Strange Relationship, The cross.... un bon 5 étoiles bien mérité Quel artiste

Fantastic album.

Maybe his greatest work

Peak Prince

Classic Prince album, perfect, not much else too say

Fantastic! Some of Prince's best work can be found on here, especially with those last three tracks. Not all of the songs may be of the same quality, but this package is too much fun to not check out at least once or twice. Favorites: "Sign O' The Times", "Starfish And Coffee", "Slow Love", All of Side D.

I am a not a fan of Prince, I am aware of and liked his songs/videos that were heavily played on MTV: (1982): 1999, LITTLE RED CORVETTE (1984): WHEN DOVES CRY, LET'S GO CRAZY, PURPLE RAIN (1985): RASPBERRY BERET (1987): SIGN O' THE TIMES, U GOT THE LOOK and of course, Sinéad O'Connor's version of NOTHING COMPARES 2 U in 1990. I also did see the film PURPLE RAIN when it was first in the movie theater. After listening to SIGN O’ THE TIMES, while I enjoyed the music, it is not the type of music that I listen to. I can recognize Prince’s genius and ability to get people movin’ and groovin’, I believe that’s the reason why I rated Prince and SIGN O’ THE TIMES a little higher than I normally would, even though it just ain’t my thang. In 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, I see that Prince two prior albums included: 1999 (1982) and PURPLE RAIN (1984) Rate Artist: PRINCE (4.5) Rate Album (Year): SIGN O’ THE TIMES (1987 Original) (4.5) Rate Album (Year): SIGN O’ THE TIMES (2020 Super Deluxe (8CD + 1DVD) Edition) (5)

I had never heard any of these songs but liked most of them!

A symbol!!!

Loved it

Absolute bop Favourite songs: Hot thing, it's gonna be a beautiful night

Loved it. Fun, flirty, funky. What a talent.

The groove really takes over, I don't think I could listen without moving my head. U got the look is an easy favourite. I could never take the place of your man and it's gonna be a beautiful night make me wish I could have gone to a Prince party. What a fun vibe. Adore is so good, lemme light a candle and get a snuggle on.

Maybe too long of an album but I was g and driving to it!

This is an album that I didn't appreciate in the 80s, but wow now I get the hype. what a solid pop record. it's trite to say, but every modern pop producer owes a debt to what Prince put together for this album.

Artist so nice we get him twice. And this is a double album, so technically we're talking three Prince albums in a row. I was worried at first, but damn this one pulled through. I know I said in my last review that he can sometimes be too quirky for his own good, but not here. It's the unique Prince spirit that makes these songs so addicting. Lots of '80s sounds that you could hear all across the musical landscape, but Prince doing it all his way elevates things. I'd only heard a few big hits from this one, but so much of it sticks immediately. Yeah it's long, and could be condensed a little, but the expanse doesn't bother me here, as I loved plenty of tracks from both halves of the album. I might just have to give this the five-star treatment. I previously thought 1999 was my favorite Prince album; I'll have to reassess when we get that on the list (maybe tomorrow?). Favorite tracks: So many, but Starfish and Coffee, Hot thing, I Could Never Take the Place, Sign O the Times, Adore. Album art: Lot going on here, and for what? It's maybe the biggest flaw this album has, which is saying a lot. The absence of a title on the cover, and instead featuring the words "two disc set" on some releases makes me nauseous. Is this a parade float or something? I do like the ominous photo of Prince, like something a spy would take of a target on microfilm. I just can't say this is a memorable cover; the strength of 1999's cover (and Purple Rain's) by contrast makes this even more unfortunate for me. 5/5

80-е в лучшем виде

Genius

His most ambitious album and one of his best

Stone cold classic

Mega-Classic. 5/5

Fun! Prince! 9

This album has some weird tracks on it and runs a bit long, but it’s Prince. You gotta love it. 9/10

Is this one of my favourite Prince albums? Hard to say, but with tracks like Starfish & Coffee, If I Was Your Girlfriend & The Cross, it’s right up there.

An absolutely great album. Some really well known songs but the other lesser known songs are great too

Nearly flawless album. Politics, bombastic catchy jams, and plenty of funk. Incredible, timeless album.

One of my favorites of all time!

So many different styles and still only a small sliver of his genius. Wow.

Perfect as expected

Before this album, I didn't think of myself as a Prince fan, but I have to admit that every song on this album is a catchy thrill. These might not be the songs he's known for, but that doesn't really matter; the songs come together to make a full and complete experience that will make you want to listen again and again.

Classic. Not one bad track.

Good album prefer the later stuff. Spotify good links

Well this easy! My all time favourite album. The best Prince lp, probably the best lp by anyone ever. Eclectic and covers everything good about Prince: pop, disco, rap, rock, blues, ballads, sex, politics, social awareness, live concert, quirkiness. An absolute masterpiece.

Still very fresh und mit vielen Dingen, die immer noch neu zu entdecken sind.

De este disco de Prince puedo decir que siempre quedo confundido. No de mala manera, pero tiene tantos géneros, sonidos distintos, tonos o moods, etc., que no lo entiendo. Quiero bailarlo, pero no es del todo bailable. Parece festivo de repente y otras veces, no. A veces te encuentras con pistas tan largas (esa joya "It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night") y otras más breves. De cualquier forma, Prince era genial y casi que cualquier pista —así en aislado— me emociona. De aquí, quiero mucho "The Ballad of Dorothy Parker", "It", "Hot Thing" y "U Got The Look". La canción que da título al álbum también es un rolón. 9/10

By now, Prince had shown the music world what he was capable of. Sign ☮️ the Times is the cherry atop a magnificent cake. Across two discs, His Purple Majesty crafted the kind of universe only he could muster, bolstered by musings on what was floating around and under him as he whipped them into clear and coherent shapes. What set Prince apart from his peers was his consistency and Sign ☮️ the Times is representative of his greatest tendencies. The true #1 male artist of the 1980s.

I, ashamedly, had never heard a Prince album front to back with the exception of Purple Rain (which I know every lyric of). This had some great songs, a few good and a couple I hit the skip button on. He created it all, played it, sang it…it’s Prince so an extra point added.

best thing on here so far

Sign 'O' The Times is quite fun, a lot of different funky tracks that are really groovy and just a good time to listen too. This was such a refresher, the most memorable song that stuck with me was Starfish and Coffee, such a catchy song and the chorus is just fun, I can feel my fingers snapping to the beat.

I want Prince to dress me

There is stilll sooo muchh too listen to in it i liked the disc 1 tbh

Its release in 1987 was like a gusting hurricane. After Around the World… kind of stunk, Parade had brought the fun back a little, until the Cherry Moon movie killed the vibes. My expectations were pretty low for Sign O’, so what a beautiful surprise it was to hear Prince unfettered and alive again. Funky, nasty, heartfelt and really really strange sometimes, Sign O’ was P’s magnum opus. It stayed in heavy rotation in my car for months. It’s not perfect, of course. He indulges himself in Christian moralizing more than once and some songs just kind of churn on instead of ending sharply. But it’s a risky, wild album that doesn’t care about your opinions, and lays down some legendary tracks.

Not sure if it’s for me

Oh, thank you, thank you! Alright. I love this. I have loved this. The use of the drum machine, the WAY he used it, Prince’s pitching his voice up, these were revolutionary and their impact is still being felt not just in RnB, but across musical genres, imo. BUT, it’s a dang double album. It was going to be a triple album! Thank god someone prevailed on him to cut it back. I’ve seen it compared to Stevie’s Songs in the Key of Life and I think that’s a fair comparison. Both have the feeling of artists at the top of their game wanting to get it ALL out, not necessarily create a single great work. I just can’t give either a 5 because I get fatigued if I try to listen in a single sitting. But that’s the only reason. It doesn’t have the individual hits that Purple Rain does, but every song is great. It just should have been TWO albums. 4 Boolean: TRUE

Bunter Strauss Kreativität, der ungefähr alle Genres abdeckt und doch einzigartig ist. Für mich ist hier am Deutlichsten, was für ein musikalisches Talent Prince hatte. Textlich geht's dann so irgendwie um alles, warum auch nicht, man hat ja Platz auf nem Doppelalbum. Zu viel Platz? Ich hätte ein paar Kürzungsideen, finde das Kaleidoskop der Stimme und Stimmung aber auch cool hier. Produktion ist trotzdem schäbig und sehr 80er.

Side B is way better but this is still a pretty good album. I do feel like Prince can do a lot better though

I went to see The Cure the other day, and apparently Robert Smith thinks Starfish and Coffee was one of the best songs of the 80s and I loathe to disagree with anything he says. Personally I'd say Sign O' The Times and I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man are the standouts. I know it's a double album but I do think it could have been trimmed a bit, the last two tracks don't really end on a high so it's a 4 rather than a 5 from me.

initial reaction: FUCK YEH!!! Great album, will gladly listen repeatedly ☺ Well this was fun nostalgia, but it's only getting 4 stars because there are othere Prince albums which I would listen to in preference... hopefully also on this list somewhere!!

First set of tracks sound dated but it picks up on 2nd disc to awesomeness.

Second disc is one of the best albums of the decade, first disc is good but has some weak tracks. Tempted to go 5* anyways but think it's more of a 4 for now

This was an iconic 80s pop album. It maybe went on a bit too long, but I actually enjoyed jamming to it.

Rate: 8/10

This record shows Princes range. Small love songs to huge funky rocking bangers. It also contains two of my favourite Peince tracks of all time: the title track and The Cross.

Probably my favorite 80's Prince album. I do feel like a couple songs could have been trimmed out, and it might have been perfect. Some absolute classics, and some stellar deep cuts.

This shit is so funky I love it. Haven't listened to much Prince outside of the big hits. There are parts of this that feel unfortunately dated and then there are parts that genuinely futuristic. Put on your good time hat and chill. If I had a complaint besides a handful of dated sounds would be that it's a bit on the longer side. Maaaaybe closer to a 3 than a 5 for me. Hard to pick between 3 and 4, it really depends on the track you're on here.

I thought this was good, man! It’s a double album... but it didn’t feel like it dragged at any point. It’s an 80’s album with lots of synthesisers... but didn’t feel particularly dated. And I’ve never really been a Prince fan… but I dig his style here! Musically I think this album is on-point. I really like the range of instruments and approaches. There’s a lot of good hooks and funky upbeat grooves, and like some of his other albums it seems to get better as it goes on. Maybe he just gets under your skin a bit. It’s not necessarily one I’ll revisit, but my stance on Prince has maybe shifted that little bit more. He’s a real artist. 3.5 rounded up.

The Title track, ‘Play in the Sunshine’, ‘Ballad of Dorothy Parker’ and ‘Slow Love’ are my favourites on this album A very good album all in all from the Rock Maestro Prince! Rating: 4/5 GEMV (11.06.2026)

A one man musical genius.

Disc 2 of this is vastly better than disc 1 (excepting the title track which is great), and if it were just that it'd be an easy five stars. Excess filler on disc 1 takes it to a four.

AIDS, house parties, religion and altar egos. Yes!

did not like it

Sign O' The Times shows Prince moving his sound forward. From the opening notes, this album has a freshness that I think was missing from some of the earlier records in his catalogue. Early on, the title track is a highlight, along with Housequake. The synths are adding to the appeal rather than dragging songs down with their simplicity. There's a nice variety of styles here too... seeming to point the way forward for a lot of pop music through the early 90s. Songs like "It" and "U Got The Look" are full of sounds later lifted by artists like Gary Numan (who even covered U Got The Look in 1992). I'm not as into the ballads here and the longer this went on the less interested I was. It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night got to be a real drag. With more listens I might figure out what my single-LP version of this double album is -- and I bet that would be something I return to. I'm not sure I'm going to give a Prince record 5 stars, but I've been a lot more impressed than I expected to be so far.

One of my favourites

Wish this one was a Friday one ..so I could listened to it multiple times an old favourite.

Brilliant

4/5

Prince is great

I honestly do not get the hate towards this album. I, for one, think the tracks were groovy and instrumentally advanced for something that came out in this period.

Creative and engagin, quite liked this long album! Also can clearly hear the influence it had on contemporary music.

Fantastic album, but it’s not my absolute favorite of his. It’s hard to say anything negative about Prince, but this isn’t an album I want to listen to over and over right away, which is why I didn’t give it 5 stars.

Funky n’ Freaky

Prince has a mythology surrounding him that truly paints him as more than a person. I often think about the performance where he throws his guitar into the air and it seemingly doesn’t return. Or the super bowl performance when he plays one of his most iconic tracks, Purple Rain, in a downpour. Prince was undoubtedly a master showman, but this album proves definitively that not only did he know how to perform, he was a spectacular musician and writer too. Sign O’ the Times is as diverse as the length would suggest, experimenting with robust diversity in the music. You get harder, more bombastic tracks like Housequake immediately followed by the story telling bass strumming of The Balad of Dorothy Parker, only two of the massive and well deserved 16 track length. To say it as best as I can, I defer to Prince: “You got the look”.

Obviously there were brilliant moments but some of it was just not my bag. Too RNB or something. That said, hard to deny the talent and artistry. Liked the 1st disc over the 2nd.

For me Prince is an odd artist. I either end up being a fan of an album or just finding it extremely boring. This one definitely falls in the first category. Man this was a blast to listen to. The title track and ‘The Cross’ were the highlights for me but for a max rating from me it needed one more exclamation mark. 4/5

SO MUCH FUN. It’s funky, fun and full of energy. Special mention for Play in the Sunshine, Hot Thing and I Could Never Take The Place of your Man. By far my favourites. Also loved the sitar on The Cross. I’ve listened to 2 Prince albums now and his music is amazing. Who knew? Trim out some of the less interesting songs and this would be a 5. It’s still a strong 4 though

I mean it’s Prince. A musical genius. Fav song - it’s going to be a beautiful night.

Not the best prince album for me

i love him

How does the p man do it???

I thought of Purple Rain as good but slightly overrated, so I wonder whether this is overrated too. It sounds less dramatic and more rooted in classic funk than Purple Rain was, being more politically and socially charged. The sound is more stripped-down, with a focus on rhythm and lyrics rather than theatrical crescendos. The rhythms are fairly catchy, and the album's minimalist sound works somewhat in its favor. Prince's vocals, especially on tracks like "Housequake" can be annoying at times but are usually tolerable. The lyrics contain just the right amount of humor and political messaging to make them engaging yet palatable(though there are some weak spots). This is a pretty good album that, again, falls just short of masterpiece level.

It's great, but Prince gives into a lot of his hokier instincts on some of these songs. Then again, his hokey instincts gave us "Starfish and Coffee," so you do you Mr. Nelson.